The Cambrian

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 190L SJFANSEA DOCK BILL. Opposition to this Bill has been withdrawn, I terms satisfactory to the various interests affected having been arrived at after much negociation, and apparent determination, to adhere to original suggestions, and the Bill will to-day (Friday) pass a Select Committee of the House of Commons. That it will receive the Royal Assent is now a practical certainty. The Harbour Trustees are to be congratulated upon the success which has so far attended their efforts. Dangers and difficulties of no light nature have been sur- mounted, but only after the exercise of con- siderable patience and tact. The probability is that the terms arranged with the G. W.R. Company, Lambert & Co., Earl Jersey, Duke of Beaufort, and others, will not meet with general approval. But of this we may rest assured: the Harbour Trustees have done their best to secure to all parties fair and reasonable terms. It was almost imperative that they should, at every stage, adopt a liberal give-and-take policy. The scheme now being worked through Parliament is fraught with many and great possi- bilities to this district. We are among those who believe its completion will mark a new era in the commercial, industrial, and mari- time life of the town and port. A million and a half sterling is involved, and the chances are that two millions will not be found too much. The new dock is estimated to take at least seven years to construct; the probability is it will be opened in 1910. Nine years work surprising changes, and in nothing, perhaps, more than in steamships. The leviathan of to-day becomes a large boat among many large boats of to-morrow. The tendency is to build biggez and bigger craft, and it is of vital importance that we should have docks capable of accommodating these huge craft. The port which stands still while ships grow is bound to degenerate, and become of fourth and fifth class status. Perhaps the most significant and gratifying feature in connection wie. Swansea's great dock scheme has been the almost unanimous support extended it. There was opposition, it is true, but it failed to gather sufficient I support to be maintained with any efficiency. Indeed, the only real opposition came from Sir John Jones Jenkins. It must be con- fessed that many people regarded Sir John's opposition as the disquieting factor in the situation. As one well-known shipper re- marked a short time ago, We would much prefer him being with us than against us. Sir John is too strong a man, his commercial instinct is too keen, that we can afford to ignore his opposition." The late chairman of the Harbour Trust found, however, that he stood practically alone in the attitude be adopted and having given utterance to his views he decided to stand aside. It was not lack of courage or of conviction that in- fluenced him to do this. He was not ani- mated by a spirit of cussedneas," but by a keen desire to see the port do the right thing. It is not wise to kick against the pricks; it is often unseemly to set up your own judgment against that of dozens of others. Of course, much good is often done by adverse criticism, and it is felt even among the Harbour Trustees that Sir John rendered them good service. The necessity of the new dock is not denied. Indeed, it is a matter for regret that so many years must elapse before it will be un fait accompli. In the meantime we fear Swansea will suffer because of its want of accommodation, and it is highly probable that in seven years we shall lose many large ships because of our inability to dock them. Mr. Griffith Thomas and his colleagues on the Trust are alive to this, and may be relied upon to see that the dock contract is pushed on as expeditiously as possible. Mr. Law (Harbour Superin- tendent) Mr. A. O. Schenk (Engineer), and Mr. Talfourd Strick (Clerk), and the Parlia- mentary Committee, have evidenced con- siderable ability, zeal, and tact, in the pro- motion of the dock scheme, and it may be taken for granted that, so far as they are concerned, nothing will be left undone to make the scheme an unqualified success. There is a feeling in some quarters that thn greatest difficulty before the Trustees will be to find the necessary money for the new dock. It is argued thttt money is scarce, that it is dear, that the continuance of the war will make it even more so, and that the Harbour 8 ock will not be so readily taken up in the future as in the past. We think these fears are groundless. There is always plenty of money in this country for safe investments, and however heavy the drain upon the public purse, these invest- ments will not go a-begging. Swansea Harbour Stock ranks high it is regarded as being very safe, and we have no doubt that the money needed for the dock will be speedily forthcoming.

SWANSEA CORPORATION FINANCES. IN 1893, the gross estimated expenditure of the Swansea Corporation was £ 96,268; in 1895, it was £ 101,789; the following year it dropped to E96,415, only to rise in 1897 to £ 104,012. In the three years following, the gross expendi- ture stood in the neighbourhood of £ 108,000; last year it ran to £ 113,393. The year 1902 will witness a marked jump-to £ 121,193. In his budget for 1902, Mr. H .Hopton, the Borough Accountant, informs us that the ex- cess of expenditure over the estimate for 1901 was JE7,566 5s. 6d. a Aftelr careful cal- culation," says Mr. Hopton, I find that tlie a net producible value of a penny rate for the purpose of the general district rate, a based on this increase ( £ 58,548. or 16 per "cent.) is £ 1,370, as against £ 1,269 on the old ratable value." The amount to be raised by means of a general district rate is £60.557, and it will be necessary to make a rate of 3s. 8d. in the £ to do so. In the Water Works Department, the income in 1901 was £ 22,134; grosq expenditure, £ 29.986; and the loss chargeable to the district rate was £ 7.852 as against £8,476 in 1900. The market yielded a net result of JE3 550, and the slaughter- house a net result of J3616. The debt of the Corporation in March last was Ll,292,180, as against £ 1,259,403 in 1900. The estimated deficiency on the' Borough Fund for 1902 is £ 7.516 2s. 8d.; the amount last year was £ 2.962 15s. 9d. JB2,080 8s. Id. was received from the Local Government Board out of local taxation (Customs and Excise) duties on account of 1900, as against LI,909 3s. lOd. for the previous year. The amount received in respect of the licenses and share of pro- bate duty transferred to local authorities, under the Local Government Act, 1888, for 1900, tfas £ 13.775 14s. Sd., as against £ 13,376 10s. 9d. for 1899.

NOTES & NOTIONS. Mr. R. L. C. Morrison, editor of the "Tenby Observer," and formerly of the Mumbles, has been nominated for a seat on the Tenby Town Council. Newport's new hospital, which has cost about E30,000, will be opened by Lord Tre- degar on August Bank Holiday. It provides accommodation for 84 beds. The Dutch Government, we are told, have determined to re-olaim the gulf known as the Zuder Zete by constructing a dyke at the mouth and draining off the waters. The cost will be 95,000,000 florins. In the House of Commons yesterday the Chancellor said he would consider somei differ- ei-tiation of coal duty on cheaper kinds of coal, but could not agree to anything that would destroy the yield of the duty. In these belligerent times, a peculiarly-in- teresting lesson in peace and happiness oomes from Windsor, where, it is said, a pair of starlings have this nesting season brought up, in the gun which Cromwell placed in the Cur- few Tower of the Castle, a fine brood of young." It is stated that the national use of to- bacco to-day as compared with 1840 is nearly double, the consumption iL that year being about one pound weight per head per annum, as against nearly twice that quantity last year, when the outlay in tobacco was over £ 18,000,000. Just fancy, £ 18,000,000 in smoke ] The ruffle; even in the days of Queen Eliza- beth, was never in greater glory than now. Ranging from a. tiny thing worn round the Deck to an enormous creation which frames the head and face and rests far back on the shoulders, the ruffle (the "Globe" says) is to be seen on nearly nine-tenths of smart cos- tumes. Quite the most becoming are the very transparent ones, which-show the line of neck through and are made of the thinnest black or white tulle or net, wired to stand well out. The thicker ones are apt to. blot out the grace- ful line from the ear to the arm, and put the whole figure out of symmetry. Long chenille ends are worn with these ruffles. The Earl of Dunraven has conferred the living of Coity, Glamorganshire, recently resigned by Archdeacon Edmondes, on the Rev. John Lewis Clougher, rector of Hamil- ton, Tasmania, and formerly vicar of Blaen- avon. According to the annual report of the Llan- daff Diocesan Poor Benefices. Fund, just is- sued, there are 39 parishes in the diocese with a net income under £ 100 a year, and 95 with a net income under £ 200 a year. In the 39 parishes referred to the clergy do not get "a living wage." In the diary now published Captain Drey- fus tells how he filled many weary hours on the He du Diable in learning English, and how, above all other books allowed him, he preferred Shakespeare'. "I never understood this great writer so well," he says, Has during this tragic period. I read him over and over again. 'Hamlet' and 'King Lear' appealed to me with all their dramatic power." Lady Eva Wyndham-Quin was at Cardiff on Saturday presented with a diamond tiara and a scroll bearing the names of 1,500 sub- scribers. The present was made by Mrs. God- frey Clark, on behalf of the ladies of South Glamorgan, as a recognition of the ptrt played by Lady Eva Wyndham-Quin in the recent Parliamentary election, when she worked so hard to secure the return to Par- liament of her husband, Major Wyndham- Quin ,who was at the time taking part in the Scuth African war. The present Earl of Hopetoun has had 41 years of life and 28 of his present style and title. He has been a good deal in his time— a traveller and a Whip, and a lord-in-wait- ing, i migrated with a Lord High Commis- sioner of the Church; a. Pavmarter-Generu!, a Lord Chamberlain of tha Household, and a president of Naval Architects, a Brigadier- General of Archery a Cantain of Yeomanrv, and a Lieutenant Colonel of Submarine Min- ers; a Master of Harriers, and eke of Beag- les; a Governor and a Governor-Gfneral. A man with many sides) truly, who yet exhibits scarcely any "side" at all. Wards of high praise for Sir William Mac- Cormacwere spoken by the French Ambassa- dor, presiding at the Hotel Cecil on Saturday at the annual dinner of the French Hosnital, of which the former ia consulting surgeon. The insignia of Commander of the Legion of Honour, which had been conferred on the celebrated surgeon, marked, said M. Cambon, not only the recognition of his great services at the present, but also a recollection of the assistance he gave France1 in 1870, when he cpnm to help the wounded in French battle- fields. Sir Thomas Linton. K.C.V.O., in the col- rmns of the Philadelphia. "Saturday Even- ing Post," has ariven advice to the youth of America in whidi the youth of England wiH find a few crumbs for themselves. HI think the American boy is ahead of the Ensriish boy. I find that in America the managers of large concerns are often verv youthful. In England a man must look old before he is thonarht to look wi"p." Then follows a state- n ent which, coming from so hisrh an author- ity as Sir Thomas Lipton. will challenge the attention of those who are1 resuonsible for ths education of the "ingenuous vouth' of our nation. "I hold." pavs Sir Thnmas. "that it would be a good thine td send every Eng- lish bov to America when he is 17. and to keep him therf- for a counle of vears." Sir Thomas himself, one recalls, went to the States nt that ago, and his experiences there constitute, in his opinion, the best tiaining he ever had. t,a-t week, Sir George Newnes, Bart., M.P.. was accidentally locked out from the divi- sion on the coal tax. Now the member for Swansea, has tumbled into a curious mistake in which it is not difficult to see that. under other circiinstances, his lov tity to the Throne would not hav<e> been so subjected to his sym- pathies with the Irish and newsnaners in particular. Writing to the Press, the hon. member On Friday last, on the mo tion for th; adjournment of tho debate, which came on eMiv, I arrived at the House of Com- mons immediately before the division, and was ii formed that it was a question of the illegal suppression of a newspaper !n Ire- land, and T voted with the Irish party. Had I known that it involved a scurrilous attack upon the King I should certainly have voted the other way, and, therefore, I found myself in the divisidn lobby under a misapprehen- sion." Many persons have wondered whether "a" or "an" is right before the aspirate in cea tain cases. Should we, for example, say "a heraldic charge," as we did a. few days ago (says a London contemporary) to the conster- nation of a correspondent? We should not. Our correspondent gives the general rule, which follows rather than leads general usage. Mr. Washington Moon, in his "Bad English" (1868), states that when in a word beginning with "h" the accent falls on the second syllable the aspiration is so much suppressed that the word takes "an" instead of "a" before it. Thus we speak of a history, but the writer is an historian a hero is the performer of an heroic action. Nevertheless we speak of "a" humane man, just as we speak of "a" unity of purpose. It is all a matter of euphony. In other words, we should taka the line of least resistance. Judge Emden, in the "Nineteenth Cen- tury," has a somewhat remarkable article which reads like doom for the King's Coun- sel. Deploring the fact that justice is so dear, and in many cases out of the reach of the middle classes, puts part of the blame on the system of employing King's Counsel. The K.C. is employed because of his supposed in- fluence with the bench. One side must do it because the other does, although it may cause cruel and unnecessary sacrifices on the part of clients. "The K.C." (saya the judge) "re- presents a profession that is not only dying of its dignity, but, while slowly and surely committing suicide, is dragging the other branches of the profession to the same fate. Taking silk is popular with the Junior Bar because it is supposed to release a certain amount of work. This is a. sad fallacy. The excessive cost of litigation is cutting away step by step the ladder on which the general body of the profession hope to descend. The great men, who stand head and shoulders above their comrades, are, and will alwaya be a necessity for thoae who can afford to pay them. It is, perhaps, too much to hope tha^ 1 this ancient order will be uprooted, but, un- doubtedly, it will have to be placed on a new basis. Is it not better to have increasing small fees than decreasing fees altogether? The first practical step towards that remedy is not to allow the employment of the K.C. in the smaller class of actions and in disputes up to a fixed amount. In fine, Judge Em- den, pleads for simpler, cheaper law, the abo- lition of pleadings, and other fanciful non- sense between writ and action, and the cur- tailment of appeals. A Companionship of St. Michael and St. George has been conferred on Mr. James Watts, the plucky civilian who carried to Takn the news of the gore straits of the Euro- peans in Tientsin. Soldiers in the Greak army are to be taughb to grow and cure tobacco for their personal use. The accomplishment is regarded as in- valuable in respect of men quartered in out- lying districts, where transport service is ir- regular, and where warriors in consequence often run abort of the delectable weed. From the point of view of science, the lead- ing event of the present week is the total eolipse of the sun on Saturday next. It is in- visible in Britain, the centre of the moon's shadow passing over Mauritius, the Indian Ocean, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebres, and the South of New Guinea. The eclipse of May 28 last year wag a short one, that of Saturday next will be of rather unusual duration. We all know the Colonial Secretary's lim- itations as an orator. He does not think aloud in that curious tone of caustic aloof- ness which is so characteristic of Lord Salis- bury; he lacks the philosophic subtlety of Mr. Balfour as he lacks the genial humour of Lord Rosebery, the sound and fury of Sir William Harcourt, and that singular capac- ity for sitting with apparent enjoyment upon the most uncomfortable of fences which dis- tinguishes Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Hut for a fighting speech, a speech which shall rally the laggards to the flag like a bugle-call, and go straight for the joints of the enemy's armour with keen and relentless penetration, commend us to Mr. Chamberlain, -"Pall Mall." Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald, hero of a hundred fights, ane one of the most ro- mantic figurefe of the war, is home. That is to say. he has returned from South Africa, but without staying to visit Scotland, be is now on his way toi India to take up his new appointment. The inevitable interview took place, of course, and the General "from the ranks" was asked about the Highland Bri- gade. There was a tinge of sadness in Fight- ing Mac's reply: "Aye, poor lads, they've had a hard time of ;t a hard time!" "They have not forgotten Magersiontein and General Wauchope?" "-NLo with a sad little shake of the head. "they haven't. It was a sad business that, and it will take the Highland Brigade 50 years to forget it—if they forget then." Move outrageous conduct than that which took place at the Nash Church near Newport. a few Sundays ago can scarcely be conceived but, on the authority of the Vicar, "such rowdyism is frequent at Nash and the neigh- bouring parishes." The affair came into the Newport Police Court on Saturday last. when several young men were charged with the dis- orderly conduct in cmestion. The ftory was that the young men went into Nash Church and sang vulgar songs, and created such a disturbance that the classes could not pro- ceed for some time. One of the men had his dog with him. and he gave the dog a copy of the New Testament to devour. Charles Adams and George Whittaker .two of the young men, kissed Miss Annie Long, one of the teachers, in the church. One of the de- fendants complained that Miss Long attacked him with a hat pin, but Miss Long told the Court that she did not use the hat pin until Adams and Whittaker had kissed her. The men were, of course, duly fined, but it Renmlf to us that such unwarrShtable disturbance of religious service should be dealt with more rigorously if it is to be put down at Nash and district. Eighteen years ago a Temperance Union was formed in connection with the Great Western Railway Company. In 1884 the late Sir A. Wood, who was at that time deputy- chairman of the Great Western Railway Com- pany, paid a visit W Swansea, and in conse- quence of this visit, a branch was started here, and it has existed since then in a more or less moribund condition. The sleepy state of the Swansea branch caused earnest tem- perance workers in the neighbourhood of Landore to take up the running, and the con- sequence has been that Landore has flour- ished while the sister branch has remained mute. But a change has come o'er the spirit of the scene. Probably in order to arouse the dormant Swansea members, the active Landore branch has performed the audacious feat of inviting the annual conference to be held at Swansea dn Monday next. This has caused a shaking up of the dry bones amongst the Swansea staff, an active, energetic secre- tary has taken the task in hand, and an in- creased membership has resulted. In order hewever, to overcome the feeling of prejudice against the Union, which appears to exist in tte mmd, of th. majority „f '"t Swansea, the speakers at the meeting on Menday next should endeavour to prove (1) that the Union is necessary; (2) that it is doing good work; and (3) that all time spent in connection with it is not absolutely wasted. It is argued that the movement is not re- quired, because railway employes must, of necessity besober men, as dismissal is the penalty for drunkenness. Also experience teaches that it is those who do not need re- formation who join the Union, and it is writ- ten that "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." In one respect the Union undoubtedly does good. About sixty delegates from various parts of the line attend each conference. They have free passes, and a day's pay allowed to each, and their expenses paid by their branches if funds will permit. This gives an oppor- tunity for talking about temperance work to friends from other places, and the dele- gates no doubt returns to their ordinary duties after the outing reefreshed and revivi- fied and carrying with them to their homes pleasant reminiscences" of the people they have met, and of the town at which they have been staying. The beautiful surroundings of Swansea, will be seen by them to advantage at the present time, and the account they will take back with them may induce their w ivefi to cause them to come here again, and make a longer stay when the time arrivetl for taking their annual holidays with their families. Lord Peel has been putting in a word for the barmaid. Speaking at a great temper- ance gathering in London, on Tuesday, be said that not only licenses but hours of labour in public-houses might be reduced. On week days in populous towns they were open for 17 hours out of the 24, in the country for 16 hours, and in London for 19J hours. If anyone had to work for those hours it was slavery. It was said that barmaids ot beauty were selected to draw custom. They should remember that 16,17 L19 working hours a day were not favourable for the human complexion. The red and white which Nature's Cunning hand laid on would soon vanish from those cheeks under such labour. Moreover, the moral nature of those girls would be weakened, and in some cases, destroyed, and little would remain of the bright and happy creatures wbó. undertook such duties under the influence of the temptations of the place.

A PRAISEWORTHY OBJECT. THE social event of the past few years so far as Swansea is concerned will be the grand bazaar to be held at the Albert Halls on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next in aid of that very excellent institution—the Royal Cambrian Institution for the Deaf and Dumb—which, since its foundation in 1847, has done so much to improve the lot of the unfortunate deaf mute in this part of the Principality. We* feel sure it is only necessary to mention the worthy obiect of the bazaar in order to enlist the practical sympathy of the local public, but entirely anart from this, next week's brilliant func- tion, focussing, as it will. some two years' efrorts of a numerous band of willing helpers, should repay extensive patronage if only from an artistio point of view. Under the patronage of her Maiestv Queen Alexandra. and a long list of the best known South Wales families, the bazaar, so far as the arrangement of the various stalls is con- cerned, will represent the British Empire. and it is safe to glediet that Swansea will not have previously witnessed for many a long day such a profusion of colour and ar- tistic display as on this occasion. We have been favoured with an advance copy of the -rogramme-a book in itself containing as it does some 64 pages—and after a perusal of it we are completely at a loss to know what is not provided in the way of making the func- tion the magnificent social and financial suc- cess that is being pronounced for it. If novelty is essential to catch the? public taste, here it will be found in the most pleasing abundance, and in this respect, Mr. Joseph Hall, who, ae the hon. secretary of the in- stitution. has devoted many years of his life to the work of educating and caring for the deaf mute, has received the valuable assis- tance of many ladies and gentlemen possess- ing ideas. The bazaar will be opened on the respective days by the Lady Windsor, Lady Llewelyn, and the High Sheriff of Glamorgan (Mr. Griffith Thomas), and if it should fail to realise the £ 1,250 required to complete the cost of the new Victoria wing, it will certainly nat the fault of Mr. Joseph Hall, who is a prince of organisers, and his hard- working committee. For our part, we pro- phesy unqualified success for the undertaking, but to make assurance doubly sure, the local public must make an effort to put their shoulder to the wheeb next week